In his movie Religulous, Bill Maher admitted he had no idea what being 'spiritual but not religious' meant. On his Friday, July 29th 2009 show on HBO (I listen to it as an audio podcast on itunes) he said he thought he figured it out.
I made this movie about religion; I was forced to confront this idea because people come to me all the time and say 'Bill, I get your point. I'm not religious I'm spiritual.' And I always say to people 'I don't know what that means, it's the most vague thing in the world. It means I'm a nice person?' It made me think about what it means to be spiritual and I think I have the answer: It means your not afraid to die. . . And I'm not there either. I am not a spiritual person because I'm afraid to die. Maybe someday.
I listened to this week's show while walking around UNC's campus (the University of New Construction out in Chapel Hill NC) between events of the swim meet I was at to support my sister who's (last?) meet it was. Rather than zoning out watching the television and accepting whatever the person who is talking says, walking and just listening really inspires thoughts and discussion, and I talked about my thoughts with my dad quite a bit that afternoon. I decided a letter to mr Maher was in order, so here it is:
Dear Bill Maher,
I have been reflecting on and discussing with my family one of the ideas you presented in your last show.
I believe we live in a deeply religious society. However, we are strangely devoid of spirituality. You presented spirituality as not being afraid to die and the majority of the United States' citizens do not embody this ideal– leading to a host of derivative problems.
When one is on their deathbed with a limited time left to live they seek any and all ways to stay with us. This is not just a selfish act to use valuable resources, it is also a malicious and cruel one. Dieing in this way leaves their family and friends with more responsibility and debt and taxes our society's resources by putting the burden on everyone else.
Spiritual people are not afraid to die because they know their accomplishments and legacy lives on by influencing and benefiting those they left behind. Choosing to die after indebting others is the opposite of spirituality, it is greed.
This country was founded on the idea that individuals themselves are 'endowed by their creator' with their own divine right to rule and govern rather than the idea that their leader (king, etc.) alone is endowed with this. This sense of individual responsibility and influence is spirituality, not religion.
Religion, as I have been told numerous times, is practice. Religion relies on customs and ceremonies to honor and worship those who have died long ago. Practicing desensitizes, reduces empathetic thinking, and decreases your own individuality. It also 'makes perfect.' However what is one practicing for and making perfect when they practice religion? Customs, ceremonies, and a kind of thinking that resulted in the crusades and is the root of the intolerance which starts and fuels every war in history. Practicing religion does not result in being spiritual, it is completely separate and often inversely related to this practice; and in modern America it is inversely related.
You, Bill Maher, are to me a spiritual person. You denounce religion and the thinking which it relies on. You honer the dead not by practicing something solely in their honer but embody parts of their experiences and values; you learn from the past not worship it.
You should not be afraid of death just as I am not. Not being afraid of death does not mean you do not value life, that couldn't be further from the truth. I am young in years and am full of vitality and youth I believe I embody my ideals and teach and inspire my family, friends, coworkers, and fellow students. I know you do the same, for I am always inspired and empowered by your unique vision of the world and your balance between logic and social nature that lends to your being an intellectual, entertainer, and leader.
Tim O'Brien
